Down The Stretch Podcast

The Valedictory Stakes was the feature at Woodbine Saturday and on that card, Rafael Hernandez won 5 races - he may now be unbeatable for the jockeys’ title We lost trainer Mike Doyle last week Janice Murchison, owner of Bourbononaholiday, Doyles’ last winner, tells us about the long-time trainer. We have multiple story lines on jockey Dane Nelson - why he brought his tack east from Alberta, what happened when his horse fell, and how did he do in Jamaica’s most important race, the Mouttet Mile on Saturday? Debbie Salhani, now in her 50th year at the Raceway at Western Fair, talks with us about the art of charting horses. Question - what’s a more amazing accomplishment; wining 10 races on a single card of harness racing or winning every single race on a card of thoroughbred racing? And you could go years without witnessing a triple dead heat…or you can hear about one in this podcast.

There were 2 Stakes races Saturday at Woodbine; both worth $250,000 - the Princess Elizabeth and the Coronation Futurity. We love it when Emma-Jayne Wilson wins a Stakes race. She did it with Duckduckduck in the Clarendon, and the trainer Evette Chartrand-Hoek tells us that the 2 Stakes she won this year are the first 2 of her career. Woodbine’s Jamie Dykstra breaks down the method by which your horse welfare initiative can get up to $5,000. from the track. Harness driver Austin Sorrie wore the Maple Leaf in France last Friday in an international drivers’ event. We have the race call – in French, of course. Imagine watching a quarter horse race and as the field is galloping down the backstretch, the track ambulance is barrelling towards them. This actually happened at Evangeline Downs. How many horse races get mentioned in a list of the 50 greatest sports moments? We found…one. And someone always wins a horse race, but what is the track protocol when no one wins?

We have 3 Stakes races from Woodbine. Robert Geller called the Ashbridges and Lake Ontario Stakes, but why was it Doug McPherson for the Shady Well? Canadians winning in the U.S. – John Bianco sent out Bourbon Day at Aqueduct and Total Heart won at 12-1 for Susan and Jim Hill at Churchill Downs. No fries or burgers, but we go to MacDonald’s twice; James MacDonald reviews his World Driving Championship and Anthony MacDonald gives his wife Amy props after she wins a qualifier. And Sunday, November 17 was a very good night at Mohawk for Louis-Philippe Roy - he had 5 winners.

How immature can we be reporting that Nobals won the Kennedy Road Stakes for the 2nd year in a row? James MacDonald won the World Driving Championship in New Zealand. Not quite so glamourous was Jody Jamieson who tells us he’s just fine after a scary spill at Mohawk. LongRun’s Vicki Pappas expresses her gratitude for Woodbine’s generous donation and reminds us of our commitment to the horses that entertain us so much. We go to the Meadowlands to see how many U.S. dollars Canadians reaped in a night of big money Stakes action. Shelly Silver passed last week and long-time racetracker, ‘Coffee’ John Calleja tells us about Silver and the danger of gambling too much. And from Hoosier Downs, a horse named On To Norway who has put together a world record streak.

From the Saturday card at Woodbine 0 the Maple Leaf Stakes, the Bessarabian Stakes and the Autumn Stakes. We update Canada’s James MacDonald at the World Driving Championship in New Zealand, and while we’re down under, Australia’s Ric Chapman reports on the Melbourne Cup which was won by a lady jockey. Questions - Is it better for Mohawk Park to run race on Sunday instead of Thursday? And - Can a 2-year-old pacer who never raced in the United States, be acclaimed Horse of the Year by U.S. Voters? American writer Brett Sturman tells us why the unbeaten Beau Jangles should win the Dan Patch as Horse of the Year. And neat stuff from Aqueduct: Flavien Prat became the first jockey ever to win 7 races at a New York track and Canadian John Bianco sent out a winner at aqueduct.

We have coverage of the Breeders’ Cup from Del Mar – great finishes, big payoffs and European dominance on the grass, though little Cancon to brag about. Emma-Jayne Wilson was back at Woodbine after a 3-month layoff; she didn’t win, but Rafael Hernandez took down 3 races and Fraser Aebly won 4. This podcast features 3-year-old Brooks Ratchford cheering on dad, Todd to a Breeders Crown win and Todd talks with us about the greatest night of his life. Jody Jamieson won a race Monday night with a horse that paid off at 80-1 and Garnet Barnsdale told you in the Mohawk Journal that The Bear a Cuda would win and when it did, the win price was $81.30 and do the rules at Keeneland allow a horse to be ridden by a rider…with no head?

The Breeders Crown Finals at Mohawk included the still unbeaten Beau Jangles, driver Todd Ratchford winning in his Crown debut and a guest appearance by 3-year-old Brooks Ratchford. On Saturday night a 68-1 shot dead heated with a 1-5 favourite and there was more magic from Scott Zeron who miraculously produced a 62-1 bomb that everyone’s Bubbe will love. At Woodbine it was Austin Adams and Little Teddy capturing the Eternal Search. Trainer Bill Tharrenos has been winning Stakes races at a lucrative clip and he talks with us about his very good year. On the last card of quarter horse racing at Ajax Downs, 4 jockeys doubled up, fans got free ice cream, and we have Jennifer Morrison to help wrap up the 25 days of racing. And you won’t need a medical autopsy to understand why we have a race from Hawthorne in which a horse won with surgical precision.

It was a weekend full of eliminations for next week’s Breeders Crown at Mohawk and the standouts were Beau Jangles, Brandon Drive, Delaney Hanover, Miki and Minnie, Ervin Hanover and many more. Kings Plate Champion, Mansetti was nailed just before the wire in the Ontario Derby at Woodbine. He won the jockeys’ crown and the Sovereign Award last year; now Sahin Civaci has taken his tack to New York. His agent, Leroy Trotman breaks down the reasons. Friday night celebrated lady drivers at Western Fair Raceway and veteran Marie Claude Auger put on a clinic. Driver Travis Henry cracked open the 300 win plateau and tells us what it means to him. It was the penultimate card of racing at Ajax Downs and once again, free ice cream for the fans, and we have a race from Australia where the announcer nearly loses his mind when an unbeatable favourite, gets beaten.

There were 8 $300,000 OSS Gold Superfinals at Mohawk. The great 2-year-old pacer Beau Jangles is now 10 for 10, but is he concerned that a filly went faster? From Woodbine, fillies and mares were front and centre in the Ontario Damsel and Fashion Stakes. Two great jockeys help us celebrate episode 300. Mike Smith, now 59, is still winning stakes races and he talks about Zenyatta, Justify, Arrogate and Chantal Sutherland. Rafael Hernandez leaped to the lead in the Woodbine riders’ race. He informs us why his grand slam mattered coming on the same day as a grand slam by Vladimir Guerrero. Just 2 racing dates left at Ajax Downs and last Wednesday was brilliant for jockey J B Botello - he had 4 mounts and he own with each of them. And Bill Galvin Alliance Youth Derby Award winner, Olivia Schiedel treats us with a rendition of her first-place poem.

We have the $750,000 Canadian International Stakes from Woodbine along with the Nearctic and the Dance Smartly Stakes as well. Let’s just say Woodbine were very good hosts to visiting horse people. There were fireworks at Mohawk Park earlier in the week - on Monday, Doug McNair took down 3 OSS Golds - then on Tuesday, Bob McClure did the same thing.Tom’s Magic won the Breeders’ Stakes. His owner, CJ Johnson is from Texas but tells us why he loves racing at Mohawk and how important it is to lower the takeout for bettors. You might expect the best horses to break track records, but last Monday, a $9,000 claimer shattered the mark for 6 ½ furlongs at Fort Erie. And, as the quarter horse season winds down, we’ve got races from last Wednesday’s card at Ajax Downs.

It was the Breeders’ Stakes, 3rd leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine. Trainer Dr. Ian Moore talks about his wonderful 2-year-old pacer, Beau Jangles and disagrees when host Peter Gross tries to make a comparison with the great Somebeachsomewhere. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. won the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan, but is now in hospital after a life-threatening fall at Churchill Downs. Despite his severe injuries, Hernandez tells Down The Stretch he is planning on riding in the Breeders’ Cup. Ajax Downs had a 7-race card last week, but produced 8 winners, and in a race last week at Parx, jockey Mychel Sanchez decided it was more important to save a fellow jockey whose reins had snapped than to try and win the race. Race caller Jessica Paquette fills us in on this bizarre event.

A huge night of harness racing at Mohawk – the $Million Metro Pace featured two unbeaten horses. The Mohawk Million had a mild upset. At Woodbine, a 17-1 shot surprised in the Durham Cup. Norm McKnight scored his 1,000th thoroughbred training win (behave when you hear the horses that comprised the exactor). At the Delaware Fairgrounds, the 80th Little Brown Jug produced a very low paying winner. The 3-year-old Sovereignty, winner of the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont, the Jim Dandy and the Travers will be Horse of the Year in the U.S. We talk with Neil Poznansky, the Canadian ingredient in this super horse. Also, highlights from last Wednesday’s card of quarter horse racing at Ajax Downs, and was that winner of the 5th race Friday at Laurel Park a shoutout to one of the great Toronto Maple Leafs?

WOn Turf Champions Day, there were 5 Stakes races at Woodbine, including the $Million Woodbine Mile. Lots of action at Mohawk Park – on Friday there were 2 Champlain Stakes and an Elegant Image warmup that produced a $100 winner: on Saturday, Beau Jangles and Franitc Hanover dazzled as Sylvia Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh renewed their rivalry. We’ve got the Prince of Wales from Fort Erie; let’s just say Ryan Munger was happy to be reunited with Runaway Again. Harness driver, Gilles Barrieau figured out how to get on the podcast – just win 9 on one night at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Ismael Mosqueira moved closer to winning the riders’ title by having a good day at Ajax Downs. And we remember one of our favourites, Zippy Chippy, who warmed our hearts by losing every one of his 100 races.

We’ve got the Wonder Where Stakes and the Singspiel Stakes from Woodbine and let’s just say jockey Rafael Hernandez had a good day. There were 5 Grand Circuit Stakes at Mohawk on the weekend – we have the stretch calls of all of them. At Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia, veteran driver Claire MacDonald won 4 of 8 races on a recent card, but that wasn’t the most unusual result for her that night. We have the uplifting but disturbing story of a pacer named Tyler, who raced over 200 times, but had to be rescued hours before being slaughtered out of a kill pen. Jockey Kirk Johnson has been fully vindicated. The AGCO says there was no bad behaviour in the unusual finish of a race at Fort Erie. Jockey Alexis Sanchez pulled off the natural hattrick at Ajax Downs last week, and when Pretty Runaway won the Maturity Stakes, we learned this speedball has a unique appreciation of heavy metal music. We were on the phone to race caller Frank Miramahdi, who wraps up the summer meet from Saratoga. When he learned that Peter Gross didn’t get to the spa this year, he got his friends to lay into him pretty good. And we have a race from Laurel Park in which a flock of geese flew right into the horses as they came into the stretch.

We lead off with a monster card from Mohawk, including the Maple Leaf Trot and the Canadian Pacing Derby. From Woodbine we have a 22-1 shot winning the Toronto Cup Stakes. Beau Jangles, Canada’s brilliant 2-year-old pacer ran his perfect win streak to 6. We have John Sikura telling us why his Hill n Dale Farms bought half of the sensational filly, Thorpedo Anna, though he doesn’t reveal how much this cost. From Saratoga, an emotional win by a horse named Attfield over a horse named Schwarzenegger. Curtis Stock talks with us about Ron Turcotte, the great jockey who died last week. Races from Ajax Downs. It was Family Fun Day and the Robertson family probably had the most fun. And we have ladies – Lauren Tritton and Natasha Day - winning harness races at the Meadowlands and at Mohawk, but we wonder why it doesn’t happen more often.

This podcast is loaded with important races: from Mohawk - the William Wellwood. The Eternal Camnation, the Peaceful Way, another huge win by Beau Jangles and a record tying mile from Bythemissal. A Canadian first as Aetos Kronos trotted under 1:50. Mark Casse hit the tri in the Eternal Search Stakes at Woodbine. Pietro Moran joins us to talk about his King’s Plate win and we find out if he is, in fact, the youngest jockey to win the Plate and if he’s the first apprentice. Toronto’s Marvin Katz is on the phone to talk about getting into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and why he named a horse after Ariana Grande. Jockey Cassandra Jeschke had a good day at Ajax Downs as the riders’ race tightened up. We’ve got a 5th place finish by driver Mario Baillargeon that pushed him past the $100,000,000 purse ceiling, and big prices – we’ve got a horse at Mohawk that paid off at 83-1.

In the 166th King’s Plate, 20-year-old apprentice, Pietro Moran gave a master class ride on Mansetti, but did he gulp down pizzas to celebrate? Also from Saturday - the Catch a Glimpse, the E.P Taylor, the Bold Venture, the Soaring Free and the King Edward Stakes, and if you run into Kevin Attard, ask him if he had a good day at the track. We document another win at Saratoga by Canadian trainer, Melanie Giddings and we go to Pocono Downs for a quarter million-dollar showdown between two great filly pacers. Arthur Silvera joins us and tells us how we can contribute to GoFundMe to help injured rider Omar Moreno, and Silvera hooks us up with Amanda Vandersmeersch, whom we all should have been betting. The top driver at Kawartha Downs is Nick Boyd and he tells us how he managed to win 6 races on the same night. Jockey Brian Bell had a huge day at Ajax Downs bringing in 3 winners. None of them paid a lot, but if you were playing ridiculous longshots at Mohawk last Tuesday, the lobster and steaks are on you.

We start with the $250,000 Bison City Stakes from Woodbine, then it’s off to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Inductions with owner Brad Grant and writer Dave Briggs. We’ve got jockey Ryan Munger who has been improving his strike rate lately and driver James Macdonald breaks down his Hambletonian Oaks win. A visit to Grand River Raceway on Industry Day when the horses kept breaking records. Longshots that amazed us – Snookered and Amanda Vandermeersch at Woodbine, Aye Eye and Javier Castellano at Saratoga and rider Kirk Johnson has some ‘splainin to do after Princess O Denmark blew a huge lead in the stretch at Fort Erie.

We start with 3 Stakes races from Woodbine - the Trillium, the Niagara and the Seagram, then on to Saratoga for the $1 Million Whitney. Garnet Barnsdale was at the Meadowlands for the 100th Hambletonian. He tells us how that race went and about success on the day from James MacDonald and the great Sylvia Hanover. Less than 2 weeks until the 166th King’s Plate, so Woodbine’s Klaus Ebner teases us with a tempting parimutuel buffet of available wagers. We talk with Melanie Giddings, the leading Canadian trainer at Saratoga and we have natural hattricks from 2 jockeys – Ryan Munger at Woodbine and Ismael Mosqueira at Ajax Downs.

They ran the Trillium and Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine Saturday and that made it a great day for jockey Sahin Civaci. At Saratoga, it was the Jim Dandy with the heavy favourite, Sovereign. Only one Canadian trainer has found the winners circle at Saratoga this summer and we will tell you who she is. We have a pair of inspirational jockey stories in this podcast A year ago, Rico Walcott was diagnosed with brain cancer and given maybe 18 months to live, but now he’s cancer free, winning races and making his backers a lot of coin. We’ve got Walcott and his agent, Ron Burke Then there’s 71-year-old Perry Ouzts still bringing in winners and setting an amazing record Saturday at Belterra park. The terrific pacing mare, Sylvia Hanover went really fast at a track in Massachusetts last week...we chat with her trainer Marc Steacy. At Ajax Downs, 2 horses are carving out perfect records; we have their latest wins and a son of Bulldog Hanover made an eye-catching debut at Mohawk last Friday. You will wish that you bet on him.